ISPO. Carving is back in fashion and the new materials being used take this trend into account. Manufacturers have come up with innovative ways to help the boards run as smoothly as possible. Freeriding remains popular and splitboarding is the strongest segment for anyone who’s happiest carving their turns off-piste - and doesn’t mind the climb to get there. In general, unusual shapes go hand in hand with plain, simple designs. ISPO MUNICH will take place from February 5–8, in Munich.
Snowboarding has bottomed out and is going back to its roots. The desire to experience the feeling of freedom you get from surfing in snow is once again taking center stage. The main focus here is on boards that are both light and robust. The results can be unconventional in appearance, with various unusual shapes with angles, edges and sometimes even holes. The more conventional camber boards are once again leaving rockers in their wake.
Carving and unique shapes are key themes at Nitro, where the Diablo, the most unusual carving board from the early 1990s, is making a comeback: an asymmetrical twin tip, which can be ridden either goofy or regular style thanks to a special insert. With its four new carving models from the series Diablo, Pantera, Überspoon and Quiver, Nitro is responding to the new trend and bringing its experience as one of the original brands to bear.
Head has been awarded the ISPO BRANDNEW Award for its Liquid Firewall. A 3D construction makes this board more robust and break-proof as the soft surface automatically returns to its original shape after an impact.
A urethane band in the core of Rossignol’s boards absorbs shocks on the load-bearing edges, therefore increasing the ride quality. Asymmetrical shapes make turning on the backside easier. The Reply Rail is designed especially to meet the needs of rental boards. This board-binding combination, which allows you to adjust spacing, angle and shoe size without the need for any tools, is an industry first. This not only means that the assembly time is extremely short, but it also comes into its own where storage is concerned: Because the surface of the board is smooth, as soon as the binding is removed, the boards can be stacked in a space-saving way, without damaging the coating.
The boards’ key features include asymmetrical design, fewer round shapes, and various types of swallowtail. Spring Break is the most experimental when it comes to shape. The small but extremely innovative manufacturer is currently working on boards featuring holes. By doing so, it occupies a very small niche in the market but shows that unconventional solutions are possible.
One of the favorite materials for lightweight boards with high torsional stiffness is basalt. The manufacturer goodboards, among others, uses it to produce extremely high-performance, long-life boards. With its Next Core technologies, Anticonf is focusing on bamboo, cork and flax fibers.
The trend for splitboarding continues, and manufacturers are now devoting more attention to female snowboarders by tailoring these boards—which split into two halves—to their needs.
Further information on ISPO MUNICH can be found at www.ispo.com
Press Release ISPO Friday, 03. February 2017
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